Letting Go
by Emry Skye
Summary: When Hermione gets engaged to another man, Harry has to learn to let go.


All right, so not the Prince of Persia Harry Potter story I promised, I'm sorry! This has been floating around my brain for a few weeks now and I think I finally like it. I'm still working on the PopHp story for you though, just trying to work out some of the finer details. Hopefully I'll have the first few chapters written this month. Anyways, enjoy this one, let me know what you think and happy reading!

Cheers!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the original characters.**

Letting Go

Harry walked out onto the porch of the house and poured out the champagne in his hand onto the grass. He'd made the speech, toasted to the happy couple, and, begrudgingly, sipped from his glass. He'd be damned if he would finish the whole glass; not when she was marrying someone else. Setting the champagne flute down, he gripped the railing and gazed out at the small garden behind the house.

He couldn't handle this, he knew he couldn't, but he still came. He wasn't strong enough. And what made it worse was that the usual source of his strength was the source of his problems. His chest constricted, again, as he heard a large surge of laughter rush through the house at his back. Trying to ease the pain, he rubbed his chest but the sensation of loss lingered.

"Well that was impressive, mate."

Harry turned to find Ron, Luna and Ginny standing in the doorway with knowing looks on all their faces.

"You almost had us convinced that you were truly happy for her," Ginny added. She walked up behind him and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I am happy for her," Harry sighed, turning back to the garden. "All I ever wanted was for her to be happy and if Jack is the man to make that happen, well…"

He let the sentence hang in the air and scuffed his shoe against the bottom of the railing. A sad, longing silence settled over the four of them and Luna stepped closer to Ron wrapping her arms around his waist. Ron responded by pulling her closer and putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Why didn't you ever tell her?" she asked quietly.

Harry remained quiet, opening and closing his mouth a few times. Each argument he came up with sounded more and more foolish than the last until he settled on one simple fact.

"I'm a coward," he concluded.

All three of his friends' heads snapped up in his direction.

"And an idiot. I thought that I was protecting our friendship by not telling her, protecting her from an awkward situation with one of her best friends, but it's a load of dung." He hung his head and lightly pounded his fist on the railing a few times.

"Truth is, I should have been honest with her from the start. Hermione never would have allowed something like this to damage our friendship if she didn't feel the same way. I was just too bloody scared and," he clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white, "And I took her for granted."

They fell into another silence, not knowing what to say to each other. The wind rustled through the garden knocking away loose leaves from their homes.

"Oh! There you are," a cheery voice called to them. The face of Jack Atwood, Hermione's fiancé, poked out from the back door. "Dessert's been served."

Before anyone could say anything else, he ducked back into the house.

"Bloody git," Ron mumbled as they filed back into the house. "I don't like him."

"Surprise there," Ginny rolled her eyes. Turning her attention back to Harry, she looped her arm through his and walked with him to the dessert table.

"You know, I still think you should tell her before the wedding. That way it's not festering in you and creating any more distance between you and Hermione. She already thinks your hiding something from her."

"Well she'd be right again wouldn't she?" Harry smiled ruefully.

"What have you got to lose Harry?" Ginny pleaded. "She's engaged to someone else already. After she marries him, you'll never be as close as you were with her. Your relationship changed the day he proposed."

"You know the irony in that?" Harry said as he walked over to get a Firewhiskey. Ginny followed him, but he never looked up at her. He kept his focus on his drink though he stared as if almost not seeing it. "I had nothing to lose to begin with, and I still lost her."

Hermione walked into the room from the kitchen carrying a tray and caught Harry's eye. She smiled at him and he watched as her smile sparked something in her eyes. He smiled back as she started toward him, but it faltered when Jack stepped up behind her and stopped her movement. Harry turned away unable to watch Jack whisper into her ear, but if he had watched, he would have seen that spark dwindle.

"I think I'll take my leave," he croaked out with a sad smile to Ginny.

"Harry—"

"No, no Ginny. It's ok. For once, let me feel the pain of my mistakes. There is nobody to blame but myself. I'll just sneak out quietly. Go back to Neville, he looks like he needs his wife to save him."

Ginny turned to Neville looking overwhelmed as he sat in a conversation with Lavender and Parvati. When she turned back around, she was alone. She quickly glanced around the room and barely caught a glimpse of Harry's cloak as he slipped out the front door.

XXX

Harry sat on one of the beds of the emergency ward of St. Mungo's waiting to be treated. After a mediwitch had declared him to be out of immediate danger, he was instructed to wait for a healer to come to him on one of the vacant beds. Had he been able to move his arm and breathe without pain, he would've just Apparated home instead.

"Harry?" an alarmed voice he was all too familiar with rang out. He turned his head in the direction of the sound and saw Hermione hurrying toward him. As she reached him, her eyes roamed over his body quickly checking to make sure he was not seriously hurt.

"Hermione," he said. She ignored him and kept worrying over him.

"Hermione," he he tried again this time a little louder. This caught her attention and he stood up to face her, gingerly favoring his left side.

"I'm ok," he explained with a small smile. "Just a few bumps and bruises, nothing major."

"Bumps and bruises don't land you in the emergency ward Harry," she retaliated with a worried glance.

"Believe me had Kingsley not ordered Neville to bring me here, I'd be sitting in Grimmauld Place as we speak."

"C'mon, I wanna take a look at that shoulder of yours and make sure you really are ok. You look like you haven't been sleeping well."

It was pointed statement that clearly meant: "Tell me what's going on."

Harry slowly followed Hermione into a private examination room where he heaved himself to sit on the bed despite his protests that he didn't need a check-up. He knew that she was doing it so she could watch his physical reaction to hoisting himself up and gauge how much of the truth he was actually telling her. To his dismay it worked.

"Take your shirt off," she told him again watching to see what he would do. Using only his right hand, he unbuttoned his shirt and peeled it off his left shoulder before shrugging it off his right and letting it fall behind him.

"What happened?" she asked quietly as she began to move her wand in a few complex motions to diagnose his injuries.

"I took a bit of a fall in a training exercise," he lied through his teeth.

Hermione stopped her motions abruptly and fixed him with a knowing stare.

"Half of an Auror team pops into the emergency ward twenty minutes ago looking as if they'd just battled a horde of goblins and you expect me to believe that you got hurt in training?" she raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"It was worth a shot," he half chuckled half winced.

"Harry," she warned.

"I got thrown off a roof out in the field," he admitted without meeting her gaze.

"Thrown off a roof?...in the—Harry, you weren't even on assignment today! We had lunch with Ron _this afternoon_ for Merlin's sake!"

"I know, but one of the teams got a lead on a case that I was determined to be a part of and, when they pinned the wizard down, I had to go."

Hermione, who had resumed her diagnostic spells, paused again and looked him straight in the eye.

"Harry, you don't have to do _everything,_" Hermione gently reminded him.

"I had to with this one," he replied quietly. Hermione almost missed his reply but caught it nonetheless.

She finished her diagnostic spells and waited for the results.

"Who?"

"Dolohov."

"Oh."

Hermione sat down slowly in the chair in the corner as the information sunk in. Harry tried to fight the blush that was slowly creeping up his neck as the silence stretched on. Only when a small yellow light seemed to emanate from around his shoulder did Hermione move again.

"Oh Harry," she said in concern. "I suspected you dislocated your shoulder, but you have three broken ribs on top of that puncture wound in your side. What did you land on?"

"Partly the ground, partly one of Dolohov's henchmen," he smirked. "Bastard had a knife in his pocket, but the emergency healer told me it missed anything vital and it's not too deep."

"Yes, well he was right. I'll have to deal with your shoulder before I can tend to the ribs though."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because if I administer a bone mending spell before your shoulder is back into place it will heal in that position. We'll have to re-break your shoulder and start over."

"Oh, lucky me. Can't you give me a pain potion for it first?"

"Mmm, I could but if I don't get everything back into place first, it could dull the nerves in your shoulder and arm permanently."

"Bloody hell, this just gets better and better," Harry grumbled. "All right is there anything else?"

"One more choice you have in this actually," she explained. "I can either put your shoulder back using magic or I can do it the muggle way. Both methods hurt just as much and the potions I'll give you will ease the pain away by tomorrow."

"So what does it matter?"

"The muggle way allows your body to heal itself more so than magic does. In the long run, it will make your shoulder stronger."

"Let's go with that one then," he said letting out a slow breath. "Either way, it's gonna hurt."

Hermione smiled sadly at him and moved next to his side readying herself to push his shoulder back into its rightful place. Harry tried to control his breathing preparing himself for what was to come.

"On three then," she whispered regretfully. Harry nodded his head in agreement. "One, two—"

Hermione tweaked his shoulder quickly and with a loud crack it popped back into place. Harry gave a low grunt of pain clamping his mouth shut and clenching every muscle in his body as a wave of pain wracked his shoulder. He breathed harshly through his nose and cradled his arm to his chest as he tried to calm himself.

"Shh, it's over now," Hermione comforted him as she ran her fingers through his hair and rubbed his opposite shoulder softly. "Here, take these now, they'll ease the pain."

Harry downed both vials of potion without even flinching and felt a warm tingling sensation in his shoulder.

"Thanks," he rasped as she continued to sooth his scalp.

She smiled at him and Harry had to look away reminding himself that she was engaged. And not to him.

XXX

Later that week, Harry found himself enjoying a night out to the pub with everyone. Ron and Neville were getting drinks for the table while Ginny and Luna were directing Harry on how many tables to combine for their group. Seamus, Dean, George, Parvati and Lavender were meeting them later on at a club, but Hermione and Jack had yet to make it to the pub.

"Mate, you realize that you're only supposed to be whipped by your own wife right?" Ron teased as he and Neville made their way back to the table and settled in.

"I've learned that if I want things to go smoothly that I'm to shut my mouth and do what they tell me," he laughed back.

"If that's the case then, have you talked to Hermione about what I told you?" Ginny inquired seriously.

Harry glared at her and took a swig of his drink.

"Ginny, please, let him alone," Neville pleaded with his wife.

"Let who alone?" Hermione asked as she and Jack walked up to the table. She smiled widely at the lot of them as they all said their hellos.

"Ron," Luna picked up. "Ginny was teasing Ron about how awful the Cannons are this year."

Harry shot Luna a grateful glance.

"Oh he should be used to that by now," Jack chimed in as he sat down entirely too close to Hermione and put his arm around the back of her chair.

Harry took another drink. This was going to be a long night.

As expected, Jack had to comment on every topic of conversation that night. No matter the subject, no matter how bored everyone else was, he got his point across.

"By the way, before we head out to the club there was something that Luna and I were hoping from you and Hermione, Harry," Ron started.

"I'm not doing your paperwork for you, Ronald," Hermione laughed, everyone else joining in soon after.

"And I'm not letting you copy mine," Harry retorted.

"Yeah, funny that. You'll be sorry you said that in thirty seconds," Ron pouted.

"What is it Ron?" Hermione prodded as the laughter died down and she patted his hand.

Ron was about to make a snarky comment but was too excited to even respond to Hermione's jab.

"Well, I'm afraid it's something rather important that we've been thinking about."

"You're not in trouble are you?" Neville asked as everyone at the table suddenly sobered up and seemed quite interested in Ron's news.

"Not trouble per say, but probably in over our heads a bit," Luna smiled cheekily, a trait she'd picked up from Ron.

Everyone, except Jack, looked at each other concerned for their friends.

"Harry, Hermione, I need the two of you to be the godparents of our child," Ron said as his face broke out into one of the brightest grins Harry had ever seen from him.

It took a second for everyone to put together exactly what was going on but, to nobody's surprise, Hermione was the first one to catch on.

"Ron, are you serious?" she squealed looking between Ron and his wife. He simply nodded his head before Hermione launched herself at him and tackled him in a massive hug. Light bulbs began to go off in everyone else's heads and one by one they each erupted into cheers and congratulations for Ron and Luna.

"So what do you say?" Ron asked as they all settled back into their seats.

"Absolutely," Harry said grinning as he shook Ron's hand.

"Of course," Hermione choked out trying not to cry.

"Brilliant," Ron said. "I've been trying to keep it a secret all week, but, blimey Harry, every time you asked me a question I wanted to yell at you that we were going to have a baby."

"Congratulations Ron, I'm happy for you mate, you'll be a great father."

"I hope so, I'm gonna need some help," he chuckled.

"You'll be fine Ron," Hermione assured him.

"Yeah, kids just need a rigorous discipline regiment and a tight schedule and they'll be just fine," Jack commented off handedly.

"I don't know about that," Harry answered in a polite tone. "I think the most important thing is that you love them."

"Even still, love has its limits. It makes it too easy for the kid to take advantage of the parent."

The rest of the table grew silent as they realized the conversation going on between Harry and Jack. Hermione was looking at Jack like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"What do you mean?" Harry inquired a little angrily as he narrowed his eyes.

Jack just seemed to glare back at Harry for a second before leaning back in his chair and replacing his arm behind Hermione. Harry felt anger begin to bubble in his chest and could see that Hermione looked uncomfortable with Jack's arm around her.

"Simply that kids need to have a strong authority figure around, someone to keep them in line. If you get too attached, you can't maintain that authority. You turn soft and they'll walk all over you."

"So you'd rather intimidate them than love them?"

"Yes."

"Well I think that's a load of rubbish," Harry said after glowering at Jack for a minute. "Kids need to be loved."

"Your opinion on the matter is a bit null and void, don't you think?"

"How do you figure?" Harry snorted. "I'm raising my godson Teddy now!"

"Only part time. You stop by and see him on the weekends. He lives with his grandmother does he not?" Jack started. "You go see him when it's convenient for you, I'm surprised he recognizes you."

"Jack!" Hermione tried to stop him.

"And then of course we all know how your childhood ended up; a burden to your poor aunt and uncle who didn't want anything to do with you let alone raise you. So how would you know what it takes to raise a child? Your parents are dead."

Harry was shocked to say the least. The table was eerily quiet and a mixture of anger and hurt passed through the group. Ron's ears were red with fury and Harry could see a glowering expression on Luna's face. An expression that was reflected in everyone else's face around the table.

Jack didn't seem to notice any of this as he simply reclined in his chair and took a sip of his drink. There was a triumphant gleam in his eyes that pushed Harry's temper to the breaking point.

Harry's eyes landed on Hermione who looked ready to kill when she looked at Jack and utterly horrified when she turned her gaze to Harry. He finished off his drink and gently set his glass back down on the table.

"Jack, I have come to terms with the fact that my parents are dead, I don't need you to remind me of the things that I don't have." Ron, Luna, Ginny and Neville caught the double meaning in this declaration and all shifted uncomfortably. "Not all of us were blessed with a cushy life in Italy while other people fought our battles."

Harry pushed himself away from the table.

"Ron, Luna congratulations again. I'll see you at the Burrow Sunday."

Without even waiting for any acknowledgements, Harry turned and quickly walked out of the pub.

XXX

Harry disappeared all weekend. He'd stopped by Grimmauld Place only when he was sure he wouldn't be discovered and spent most of his time just walking through London. Seeing his friends and hearing them try to make him feel better just wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want their pity.

Harry checked his watch after leaving Hyde Park. It was about time for Sunday dinner to start at the Burrow. With a long sigh, Harry pinched the bridge of his nose and turned down a deserted alleyway.

The Burrow was bustling with people. Harry could hear Mrs. Weasely's voice carry out to the garden as she ordered the girls about the kitchen; their husbands were busy trying to set up the tent outside.

"Harry, can you give us a hand?" Bill called over his shoulder. Harry jogged up the last bit of the lane and pulled out his wand.

"Thanks, mate. Once again, the Chosen One to the rescue!" George laughed as he made a grand bow to Harry when they finished.

"Shut it, George," Harry half heartedly grumbled.

"All right there Harry?" Ron said coming up behind him.

"Yeah, fine."

"Ok," Ron clapped him on the back not really believing him. "You've had the girls in a right state since you left. Hermione was so worried she started talking about getting some my six to search for you."

"My six?" Harry looked at Bill and George who both shook their heads and shrugged.

"Yeah my six. It's some secret police force in the muggle world isn't it?"

"Oh MI-6," Harry chuckled.

"Whatever," Ron waved it off. "Just be ready. Between Mum, Hermione and Ginny, you're in for it, mate."

Mrs. Weasely and Ginny reacted to Harry's appearance as expected. A few tight hugs, some stern words and a few more hugs. Hermione surprised Harry, however. Instead of her usual lecture about worrying his friends, a hug, and making Harry promise not to do something like that again, she merely pulled him into the empty living room, wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shoulder.

Harry looked up at Ginny who shrugged and went about carrying some of the food to the table outside. He tentatively put his arms around her and pulled her closer.

"I'm so sorry," she said pulling away to look him in the eye. "Jack was way out of line, he had no right to say any of the things he said to you."

"It's not your fault, 'Mione," he reassured her. "He's a—" Harry snapped his mouth shut not wanting to offend her and pulled out of her embrace.

"Never mind, it's over now. I'm sorry if I had you worried. I just needed to get away for a while, clear my head."

"I understand why you did it," Hermione smiled sadly. "It still scared me that you were gone for so long without telling anyone where you were. Old habits die hard I guess."

Harry nodded in agreement and a silence fell over the two them. Harry fiddled with his hands and Hermione leaned back into the couch and pulled her knees to her chest.

"How's your shoulder?" she asked hesitantly after a few minutes.

"Great, still a little sore, but it's good."

"Are you sleeping any better than you were last week? You still look tired."

"Ha, not really."

"Are your nightmares back?" she asked slightly alarmed.

"No, no. Not nightmares. Just dreams that aren't very pleasant."

Hermione remained quiet but her eyes pleaded with him to continue. Harry looked back down at his hands. He considered how much he should tell her about the dreams. Coming to a decision he took a deep breath and turned to face her.

"'Mione, I have something I need to tell you."

"I figured as much," she smiled wryly. "You haven't been acting like yourself since the engagement party."

Harry shrugged his shoulders and began to pick at one of the calluses on his palm as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"The dreams I've been having are about you," he confessed.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock.

"Wh-wh-what?"

"Before you say anything just let me get this all out." Hermione nodded slowly. "The dreams aren't bad or anything, they are actually quite amazing. But they'll never be real and that's what hurts the most.

"Hermione, I'm in love with you," he explained simply. "I have been probably for most of the time that I've known you, but I only put together what I was feeling a little over two years ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered playing with her hands in her lap.

"I didn't want to change anything between us, I was scared. I tried to tell you a few times but every time I got close to telling you I would come up with a reason not to." Harry got up and started pacing in front of the empty fire place.

"The night I finally got my nerve up to tell you, you walked into the pub with Jack and announced that you'd been seeing each other for a few weeks. So I pushed aside whatever I was feeling for you and let you be happy."

Hermione remained quiet as Harry paused. A thousand questions filtered through her mind all at once, but she knew that she needed to hear everything that Harry said. Harry sat down on the coffee table in front of her and looked her in the eye.

"I'm not telling you this in the hopes that you feel the same way; I know you don't. And I'm not going to get in the way of you and Jack. I just figured that you had a right to know and I guess I was hoping that if I told you I'd be able to let go.

"So you don't need to worry about me ruining your wedding or challenging Jack to a duel. I won't ever bring this up again after today; I just want to see you happy."

When he finished, he leaned forward, kissed her cheek and left the room. As the kitchen door shut softly, Hermione remained where she was sitting. She looked down at her hands and her eyes landed on the empty ring finger on her left hand.

XXX

"Hey mate! I thought you had Teddy tonight?" Ron greeted Harry as he joined the table.

"No tomorrow night. Andromeda wanted one last night with him before he moves to Grimmauld permanently."

"I bet she's going to have a difficult time not having him in the house," Luna commented.

"It was always the plan that Teddy would stay with her until she was unable to take care of him, but once she got sick, I think it came a little quicker than she expected," Harry explained. "I told her that if she wanted to live at Grimmauld, there was plenty of room, but I think she wants to hold on to a little of her own life before she has no other choice."

Ron and Luna nodded in understanding.

The table fell into easy conversation. Everyone was catching up on each other's weeks and teasing Ron about the Cannons latest record setting loss.

"Have you heard from Hermione?" Harry asked Ginny as he sipped his butterbeer.

"Only a little. She told me that you finally told her."

Harry nodded and looked down.

"I did. And I promised her that I wouldn't get between her and Jack."

"Maybe you should," Ginny responded. Harry looked at her questioningly, pausing his hand as he reached for his cup.

"Harry, Hermione ended things with Jack last week after he said those awful things to you," Neville said.

"Apparently, they had a huge row afterward and she ended it. Jack hasn't taken the hint yet and Hermione's had to ward her flat against him; he showed up at her place uninvited every night this week causing problems. He seems to think that she's not serious."

Harry furrowed his brow as Ginny explained all this.

"Hi all!" Hermione said cheerily as she took a seat next to Luna.

They all mumbled a greeting and Harry took the opportunity to watch her. She smiled and chatted with everyone at the table, but there was something off. None of her smiles were genuine and she more often than not dazed off in the middle of her conversations.

She met his gaze and gave him a weak smile before she focused on something over his shoulder. He watched as her eyes widened then darkened in recognition of someone. He turned his head and immediately saw the tall figure of Jack Atwood looming toward the table.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?" he all but growled in her direction.

"Jack, please, not here—"

"I've had enough of this!" he yelled.

The rest of the pub went silent at Jack's outburst. Hermione's face was red with anger and embarrassment and Harry's knuckles were white as he clenched his pint in his hand.

"Fine," she ground out between her teeth. She picked up her purse and led him to a corner of the pub where, thankfully, Harry could still see them.

He watched as they argued and Hermione crossed her arms over her chest in her usual act of ending a conversation. As she began to walk away, Jack grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the back door.

"Excuse me," Harry mumbled to Neville who was talking to Ron.

Quickly, he slipped through the crowd and cracked the door open. To his horror Harry saw that Jack had Hermione forced against the alley wall. In two quick strides, Harry reached Jack and threw him off of her against the opposite wall.

"The hell do you think you're doing?" he said holding his position in front of Hermione.

"This is none of your concern Potter. Get out of the way," Jack spat.

Harry felt Hermione slip her hand into his and lock her other hand around his bicep. He looked at her and saw the unasked question in her eyes. He wasn't the only one who saw it either.

Jack leapt forward in an attempt to get to Hermione but Harry pushed him back. He grabbed him by the shirt and pinned him against the wall.

"Hermione, meet me in front," he rasped not taking his eyes off of Jack.

"He has my wand," she answered quietly.

Harry searched Jack's pockets and found Hermione's wand in his inside pocket. He quickly retrieved it and handed it to Hermione. His fingers brushed against hers as she took her wand back.

"In front," he said again softly, but determinedly. Without argument, Hermione nodded and left.

Harry faced Jack again and stared him in the eyes.

"You try a stunt like that again and I will kill you," Harry said plainly. He loosened his grip on the man and roughly shoved him away from the wall.

"If I hear that you're following her home or to work or getting close to her at all, you'll be dead faster than you can say 'sorry,' do you understand?"

"You're not going to do anything Potter. You're too much of do-gooder. Besides, they'll throw you in Azkaban. Boy-who-lived or not, you're still bound to wizarding law."

"That may be true, but stalking, harassment and physical violence are also part of that law," Harry smirked. "And who do you think the Wizengamot is going to believe when two members of the Golden Trio accuse you of just that, not to mention they were _both_ eyewitnesses to it?"

Jack's face visibly paled. Harry watched as all the mechanisms in his brain went into overdrive trying to find an answer to Harry's reasoning.

"Like I said, stay away from her."

Harry turned and quickly made his way to the front of the pub. As he turned the corner, he caught sight of something charging toward him and only had enough time to slightly brace himself as Jack crashed into him. They wrestled on the ground, tumbling, and rolling over each other. They both landed a few square punches before Harry finally managed to pin Jack to the ground on his stomach.

A small crowd had surrounded them as they spilled onto the street of Diagon Alley and Ron and Neville were there to help pull Harry off of Jack.

"Easy mate!" Ron said as he held Harry back and Neville got a hold of Jack.

"He jumped me," Harry yelled as he struggled against Ron's hold.

"I know, we saw," he replied.

Harry got control of his breathing and calmed down a bit as Ron released him. Hermione, Ginny and Luna were all standing behind them and trying to pull Harry away from the scene.

"I should probably take him to the ministry," Harry concluded when he'd completely calmed down.

"You go home," Neville directed as he finished binding Jack. "I'll take him in and check on the case in the morning. I've got first shift tomorrow."

After a couple of minutes of persuasion, Harry gave in and Neville disappeared with an irate looking Jack in tow.

"Let's get you home then," Harry said to Hermione. She nodded and grabbed his arm as he Disapparated to her flat.

The flat was dark and overly quiet when they arrived. With a quick flick of her wrist, the lamps on the side tables burst to light. Hermione moved to the kitchen and began making tea.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked as he followed her and sat in one of her kitchen chairs. "He didn't...hit you or anything did he?"

"No, he didn't get that far."

Harry let out a relieved sigh and rubbed his eyes tiredly. When he looked up again, he saw Hermione's head bent over the counter and her shoulders were shaking silently. Without a second thought, Harry got up and pulled her into a hug.

Hermione sobbed into his shoulder and fisted her small hands in his shirt as he held her. He rubbed her back soothingly and just let her cry.

"I'm sorry," she said pulling away from him and wiping her eyes.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked again not allowing her to fully pull away from him.

"Yeah," she smiled sadly. "Just scared a little I guess. He managed to grab my wand before I could and…I've just never felt that helpless before."

"It's unsettling isn't it?"

Hermione nodded and leaned back into Harry. Her eyes felt heavy as the events of the evening caught up with her.

"Harry, I've been thinking about what you told me at Sunday dinner," she whispered. She felt his muscles tense under her cheek but nestled into him further.

"I'm glad you told me. But I can't say that I feel the same way about you just yet. I've always loved you, but I've never allowed myself to be _in_ love with you. It was always somewhat forbidden territory."

She sighed and looked him in the eye.

"But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there's always been a bit of a stronger love for you in my heart than what friendship allows. Even if I didn't realize it was there."

"What are you saying Hermione?" Harry gulped.

"I'm saying that I want to try this with you," she said honestly. "I know I just got out of a relationship last week, but I don—"

Hermione's sentence was cut off as Harry leaned in and quickly pressed his lips to hers. It didn't take long for her to respond as she trailed one hand up to the side of his face and allowed the other to rest on his upper arm. Harry had her wrapped tightly in his arms with no intention of ever letting her go.

"I don't care," he breathed as he leaned his forehead against hers and nuzzled her nose with his. "I know you well enough to know the difference between a rebound and something else."

She smiled at him and buried her face in his neck as he hugged her.

Later that night, Harry's eyes popped open at an unfamiliar sound. He propped himself up on his elbow and looked around the strange room. His eyes fell on a four legged animal who had managed to pull down a book that was lying on top of the sweater he was playing with.

"Crookshanks," Harry thought to himself as he settled himself back down into the bed.

"Harry, what's wrong," Hermione's slightly groggy voice asked him.

"Just thought I heard something," he whispered back kissing her cheek. "Go back to sleep."

Hermione just smiled sleepily at him and rolled closer to him as Harry wrapped an arm around her back. She kissed his shoulder lightly before placing her head on it and snuggling into him.

"Goodnight love," she murmured.

"Goodnight, 'Mione."


End file.
